The Dutch city of canals and coffee shops offers plenty of cheese, fries, and other assorted edibles (yeah, you know what we mean). RVA Global correspondent Chloe Fortin brings us an in-depth report.

Typically, when you tell people that you’re going to Amsterdam, they smile and give you a wink. Because let’s be honest — the first two things that come to mind when thinking of the most famous Dutch city in the world are the coffee shops and the red light district. While these hedonistic attractions are still a BIG reason why Amsterdam is widely known, it’s also important to know other reasons why it’s a bucket-list destination.

Transportation

While the canal system in Amsterdam is really amazing, what got my attention was how bike-friendly this city was. Bike lanes were everywhere and cyclists followed the same lights as cars… or at least, they were supposed to. It was difficult as a pedestrian when trying to cross the street because not only do you need to be aware of cars, but also cautious of non-braking cyclists whizzing past.

To add even more confusion, let’s add the tram. It was always unclear when exactly a tram was going to come, because in some places people were just hanging out in the street unaware that there were track marks underneath them — until they heard the bell from the tram. My advice is to follow all cross signals and yield to all bikers, because in this city, cyclists are number one.

Food

If you are into cheese, then this is the city for you! Just walking along the street, you’ll encounter several “Kaas” shops that carry a variety of cheeses, most notably Gouda, which they create in a bunch of unique flavors and spreads. You of course can’t miss the “Old Amsterdam” cheese shops, as they are everywhere! The Dutch are so into their cheese that if you walk down just the right street, you’ll discover The Amsterdam Cheese Museum, which has even more samples of cheese — including the “Best Gouda Cheese of 2019.”

Not into cheese? Amsterdam offers tasty fried treats you may like. For instance, “Bitterballen,” a tasty little fried ball of a meat ragout, or its brother the “Kroket,” which contains a similar meat ragout. Both wash down well with a pint of beer. You can pretty much order these guys anywhere. If you want to keep it simple, you can try some “Patat,” a thicker version of a French fry, usually topped with mayonnaise, ketchup, or curry and served in a paper cone. I recommend checking out the patat shop called ‘Manneken Pis’ which is the perfect spot when you have the late night munchies.

If you’re looking for something that’s a little more on the sweeter side, hop into a waffle shop and grab yourself a “stroopwafle.” Essentially the Dutch version of a cookie, it at least looks like a waffle. Or perhaps you want something a little more filling — like tiny pancakes called “Poffertjes,” which are super fluffy and served with butter and powdered sugar on top.

Perhaps the experience you want doesn’t have to do so much with taste as much as it does with elevating the mind. You can always hop into a convenience store or bakery and grab yourself a space cake, brownie, lollipop, cookie, or just about any baked good containing a little bit of Amsterdam’s most notable herbal delight. Just be warned that prices for these baked goodies are not the same across the board, so look around — don’t immediately buy at the first little store you see.

Coffee Shops

If all you really want is some coffee, then look for a café, not a coffee shop, because they are two very different places. Selling marijuana in Amsterdam has been legal for almost 40 years, and over the years the city has built up quite a collection of coffee shops and dispensaries that cater to every type of cannabis enthusiast. Whether you’re into a grungy environment or just want to mellow out in a quiet place, there is a coffee shop for you.

Being that Amsterdam is the most notable city of cannabis culture in the world, you can find so many different types of strains that go along with everybody’s wants, needs, and desires. Usually there are three types of strains you’ll come across in these coffee shops: sativa, indica, or hybrids. If you really are not sure what you want, the people who are running these coffee shops are pretty knowledgeable with their products and can help find the right one that suits you.

While smoking in these coffee shops is legal, it is still not legal to smoke on the streets. However, police officers over the years have become a little more relaxed about it. Conversely, it is also not acceptable to smoke straight cigarettes in coffee shops. They prefer a more herbal aroma than that of tobacco — so light your joint, not a cig. In addition, prices and quality do very from place to place. If you are closer to the city center, just like in any other city in this world, expect to pay more. Some notable places you can check out is the OG of dispensaries, The Bulldog The First, which has been selling since before it was legal. Or swing by one of Snoop Dog’s hangs, The Grey Area.

At Ellwood Thompson’s, elected officials and community advocates gathered to discuss the future of legal cannabis-derived CBD oil in Virginia. Much was learned.

CBD oil: there is a lot of confusion surrounding its legality, not to mention what exactly it is. To provide some clarification, Ellwood Thompson’s held a panel discussion to clear up the truth about some ambiguous laws, and address the controversy that surrounds hemp-derived CBD oil.

In order to understand CBD oil and the discussions around it, though, it is first important to know the difference between hemp-derived and marijuana-derived products. Both hemp and marijuana are types of cannabis plant; however, hemp has a lower concentration of THC (the psychoactive chemical) and higher concentrations of the non-psychoactive chemical cannabidiol (CBD). To be clear: you cannot get high from CBD alone.

Ellwood Thompson’s panel discussion, which took place on Wednesday, January 23, focused on the legalities around production and consumption of CBD oil in Virginia. Panel speakers included Jason Amatucci, founder of the Virginia Hemp Coalition; Erin Williams, Senior Policy Analyst at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; and Delegate Nick Freitas, a Republican who represents the counties of Culpeper, Orange, and Madison in the House Of Delegates. The panel was moderated by Nick Schroder, a food advocate at Ellwood Thompson’s.

CBD oil is popular for its medical benefits. It is commonly used for treating conditions such as epilepsy, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. It comes in concentrates, capsules, sprays, and vaping liquids. In addition, CBD oil can in be added to foods, lotions, gels, and drinks.

Tricia Boor, owner of Apothec, a health and beauty shop in Richmond, attended the event at Ellwood Thompson’s to learn more about how current CBD law applies to retailers. Boor said her customers and patients use her CBD oil-infused products to treat a variety of conditions including psoriasis, inflammation, eczema, and the effects of radiation treatments. Although she wants to take advantage of the medical advantages of CBD oil, Boor has concerns about the legality of selling and marketing CBD infused products.

“As a young business, we really want to make sure were not doing something that could be detrimental to our business,” Boor said. “We want to make sure that it’s on the up and up.”

Since 2015, Virginia has been conservatively passing laws on CBD. On the federal level, the 2018 Farm Bill legalized industrial hemp and the production of CBD oil. While the bill does not place restrictions on possessing or transporting CBD oil across state lines, it requires that growers be registered within a research or pharmaceutical program. In Virginia, the production and use of CBD oil is legal as long as the product contains less than 5% THC and more than 15% CBD.

Freitas has been working for the past three years to pass hemp legislation in the Virginia General Assembly. This year he sponsored two pieces of related legislation,HB 2346 andHB 1839.

HB 2346 sought to redefine the definition of industrial hemp and allow Virginia farmers to grow industrial hemp as a commercial product. This bill was tabled for the 2019 General Assembly session in subcommittee on Monday, January 28.

The second bill, HB 1839, would adapt Virginia law to the federal Farm Bill by “amending the definitions of cannabidiol oil, marijuana, and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to exclude initial hemp that is grown, dealt, or processed in compliance with state or federal law.” The bill has made it to the full house, and awaits a vote.

“I feel very confident… that once we get out of this General Assembly session, we’re going to have very, very clear lines with respect to what is legal [and] what is not legal,” Freitas said.

While the use of CBD oil is legal in Virginia, commercialized production is not. Therefore, Virginia’s in-store CBD oil products are manufactured out of state.

According to Freitas, this puts Virginia producers at a significant “economic disadvantage.”

“I want to move [Virginia] to a place where, again, we don’t put a bunch of government restriction with respect to growing a product that is not only safe, but beneficial,” Freitas said. “I don’t want our own farmers falling behind farmers in Kentucky, North Carolina and everywhere else that already has rules and regulations that make it far easier to grow this product.”

During the panel, Amatucci described industrial hemp production as a great “economic opportunity” and said he is ready to “take it to the next level.”

“We basically need to get CBD laws clear in Virginia,” Amatucci said. “We have a lot of support in the General Assembly on this issue.”

According to Freitas, the “main roadblock” to legislation in the Virginia Assembly comes from the “philosophical battle” regarding the federal government’s role in regulating hemp production.

“I really want to see [Virginia] treat industrial hemp like we would other agricultural products,” Freitas said. “Let [CBD oil] out in the free market. Let entrepreneurs be the one to decide whether or not it works. Let consumers decide whether or not they want to buy the product.”

In spirit of the new year, Norfolk’s office of the Commonwealth Attorney took the “new year, new me” goal to unprecedented heights. In line with Virginia’s continuing push for cannabis decriminalization, Norfolk’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, Greg Underwood, said in a letter addressed last Thursday that he will largely stop prosecuting people for possession of marijuana.

The letter’s intent is to establish a new directive for the year; it was forwarded to judges, city and state leaders, and criminal justice/public safety colleagues, according to a press release by Virginia NORML.

“The Office already does not prosecute these cases; however, some come to the office as misdemeanor appeals or when attached to felony charges or misdemeanor charges the Office handles,” Underwood wrote in the letter. “The Office will cease prosecuting all misdemeanor marijuana possession cases and will move to nolle prosequi or dismiss such cases that fall within our purview.”

According to Virginia NORML, marijuana arrests in Virginia increased 20% between 2016 and 2017. They expect that over $100M will be spent on enforcing marijuana prohibition across the Commonwealth, “with nearly 28,000 Virginians arrested for marijuana-related crimes.” According to the same release, Mr. Underwood has already established his stance on cannabis; last fall, at a Virginia NORML-sponsored panel discussion, he stated, “I support legalizing marijuana.”

Jenn Michelle Pedini, executive director of Virginia NORML, was impressed by Underwood’s initiative. “The fruits of Mr. Underwood’s leadership on marijuana possession prosecution can be seen in Commonwealth’s Attorney races throughout Virginia,” she said. “On the 2018 campaign trail, Chesterfield Commonwealth’s Attorney Scott Miles embraced a more progressive approach to enforcement than his predecessor or challenger. This year, three Northern Virginia Commonwealth’s Attorney candidates are echoing Mr. Underwood’s policy, pledging not to waste taxpayer resources prosecuting simple misdemeanor marijuana possession.”

The General Assembly approved the use of cannabidiol oils in 2018, but Virginia is still currently one of 20 states that bans both recreational and medicinal marijuana use. But it seems attitudes are changing. “It’s time for the Virginia General Assembly to take legislative action to decriminalize marijuana,” Pedini said. “Seven out of ten Virginians favor fines, not crimes, for possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use. In the absence of such action, we can expect to see municipalities and Commonwealth’s Attorneys leverage the powers they do have when it comes to enforcing marijuana prohibition.”

The City of Norfolk officially endorsed marijuana decriminalization in 2018 and has already added it to the docket for the General Assembly in their 2019 legislative agenda. SB 997 sponsored by Senator Adam Ebbin (D-30), would decriminalize small-time possession of cannabis by adults and instead issue tickets; $50 for first violation, $100 for a second violation, and $250 for a third or subsequent violation.

The Virginia 2019 Cannabis Conference & Lobby Day starts in Richmond this Saturday, January 12th, and continues on to the 14th. The conference will feature expert speakers on the Virginia’s emerging hemp industry, medical cannabis, and marijuana law reform. For more information or to register, click here. For more information on Cannabis reform in Virginia or to keep up with the conversation, visit the Virginia NORML site.

Since Initiative 71 called for the decriminalization of recreational marijuana in November 2014, DC is looking more and more like the “District of Cannabis” each and every day. With the ease of gifting up to a zip of “free” bud to anyone under the sun in our nation’s capital, hundreds of new “pop-up” weed vendors are jumping through legal loopholes to turn what used to be a hushed exchange amongst friends into an emerging “legitimate” yet completely unregulated market.

Being a Northern Virginia native with a curiosity to witness these ganjapreneurs firsthand, I made the trip up to the “District of Cannabis” with high hopes of documenting this phenomenon. I was on a mission to understand exactly how these “businesses” operated within the gray area of the law and to explore all of the new ways in which weed culture is pushing the frontier of entrepreneurial discovery in Washington, DC.

From a dab bar to talking with delivery drivers, and taste testing all the different weed-infused concoctions in between, I can personally say for all you Richmonauts still chiefing b-grade mulch in your basements, the grass is definitely greener on the other side.

I started off my day at the PinkFox headquarters where I met with co-founder Mark Nagib, to talk about their role in the cannabis support movement over a bowl or two, or three. “Both my business partner Kelly and I were laid off on the same day in 2015, we both poured our severance into this and after I started getting into art, we were lucky enough to see this lifestyle brand grow faster than we could have ever expected,” he said.

Obviously, the pair does not sell cannabis, which they could not stress enough on their website, but they do “gift” it along with the purchase of merchandise whether it be a t-shirt, hat, backpack, or posters with their pink fox logo on it.

“We all tell ourselves that the cat is out of the bag, but not everyone is prepared to wear clothing that represents blatant marijuana support, so creating a lifestyle brand for those who are ready for the substance but want some discretion to go along with it was a no-brainer for us. That’s why we started the brand, people being denied something they’ve wanted, and now being given access to it,” said Mark.

But it’s their baked goods that really have the people clamoring. Kelly is the master chef behind it all. Pink Fox specialize in edibles, such as their famous gorgonzola and pancetta “Cheese-itz”, but have recently expanded their menu to incorporate pop tarts, salted caramel brownie bites, “cannabutter”, watermelon candies, and peppermint butter and chocolate chip cookies.

Because DC is not a state, and approximately 30 percent federal property, it doesn’t have the same rights as far as the autonomy of its budgeting goes. Legislation opposed having money come in from the taxation of a federally banned substance, ultimately leaving the District where it is today with Initiate 71.

There aren’t any recreational dispensaries, and unlike states like Colorado, you can’t just walk into a store and buy a joint. “Up until recently there were four medical dispensaries in DC, one in each quadrant, and you could only commit to one which means if they are out, you are screwed,” said Mark.

Pink Fox set up a booth at the National Cannabis Festival and Tee Con, but those looking to buy some merchandise have to make an appointment. With a giant flat screen tv displaying more game consoles than I could count, an entire kitchen full of edibles, and an armory of bongs ranging in all shapes and sizes, its a stoner’s dream unto itself, but clients are not allowed into Pink Fox HQ, and rather have to arrange to meet in a public place to get their goods.

The prices are suggested donations in exchange for the swag. The person buying sets the donation price for a t-shirt or poster, sticker, et cetera, which is given with the edible of their choosing. And while I could munch on their gorgonzola “Cheeze Its” all day, I knew I would be stuck there if I didn’t split, so I said my goodbyes and went on with my cannabis cruise to discover what a true pop-up vendor event was really like.

With a bottle of Rohtos in my pocket and expectations high as a kite, I was headed to my first ever event “Tasty Tuesdays”, held at DC’s Listen Vision Recording Studios. I was on the hunt for the infamous 200 mg-infused cheese pizza slice I had been hearing about and wouldn’t stop until my palate was satisfied. I followed the all too familiar aroma until I rolled up to the studio porch to see a DJ blasting the latest rap hits into the street. Inside, I was met with a semi-crowded room, more so due to the size of the room than the number of people there, and about five or six vendors working at the time.

Upon entrance, I was handed a dab pen of distillate to test out. I had no idea where to begin, or how to act exactly, so I did what anybody else would do, and followed the free samples.

I ended up making friends with a vendor who had been selling edibles as a representative for Mrs. Dankness for about a month. The group had won the 2017 DC Growers Cup for Best Concentrate, and told her it was my first event in which she replied, ‘I can tell’ and proceeded to give me a beginners lesson on my DC “weedtiquette.”

Mrs. Dankness

It seems most people are using the “donation” loophole as a way to still make a pretty penny off their home-cooked edibles and pre-rolls. Pretty much what I got out of it was, “Do not ask how much, and make sure you pick up a sticker or business card before you leave.” Other than that, it seemed pretty straightforward.

Mrs. Dankness had been averaging about two events a week and had everything from nugs and cookies to lollipops and gummies. I went with a 150mg mega gumdrop and a couple cookies that I had planned to secretly leave for my parents when I went back to school. Peanut butter for my dad, and chocolate for my mom, in exchange for what I remember being a $20 donation, but then again, I could barely remember my name halfway into the event.

I slothed my way over to Not Ur Granny’s Adults Treats, who specializes in gourmet edibles for adults. Run by owner Bae Baker, N.U.G.S., (get it?), is surprisingly located in Baltimore, Maryland which I thought was interesting. They had a beautiful array of different elegant personal sized chocolate and vanilla cakes, infused with over 250mg of THC. What really caught my eye were the rice crispy treats, made with either Cap’n Crunch or Cinnamon Toast Crunch mixed with marshmallows and cut into squares, each averaging about 80-90 mg of THC which I, of course, had to have to start my collection of souvenirs.

Not Your Granny’s Snacks

I’m not into all the hocus-pocus of different strains and percentages of Indica and Sativa. If it does the job and is cheap, I’m game, so I couldn’t fully appreciate the fact that I was puffing on a GG#44 and Sunset Sherbert Hybrid pre-roll that I snagged off this guy for $10 from the next table.

It was interesting to me how some of the vendors are very strict with the rules, bringing only an ounce or two of flour, ensuring that it is gifted in return for a monetary donation, and others who aren’t, simply waving joints in your face asking for $10.

I was somewhat skeptical after seeing the THC percentage for each edible was a range, to calculate for some sort of measurement error or something. I guess because it’s all still unregulated, you can still get gipped and sold mids without repercussion, the only thing now is that you have the reputation of a brand to upkeep. It’s all about customer loyalty in this industry because it’s almost too easy to get it from somewhere else at this point. Picture a really crappy restaurant barely running off the service of tourists, if you don’t have people ever coming back to eat at your restaurant again, it is going to be a lot harder to remain afloat.

Pink Fox

I was most definitely one of the tourists, already burning through more than half of my budget before lunch, and we hadn’t even gone to the next event yet. Next up on the itinerary was Twisted Up Tuesdays, hosted by Out The Park Concessions DC, who I found on Instagram. That is usually how you find out about events around here other than simply typing in “Marijuana events in DC”. For this event specifically, I had to order a free ticket off Eventbrite that came with a corresponding email to contact for the address, I guess better safe than sorry.

My photographer and I arrived at a townhouse on the corner of a typical suburban neighborhood, slightly confused if we were in the right place. The moment the front door opened, the smell reassured us. I was greeted by a hefty bouncer in a wife-beater, who most definitely owned a motorcycle and ate nails for breakfast.

He patted us down, unfortunately, saw the cameras, and told us to leave our equipment in the car. After returning, we headed on upstairs, realizing we had come just in time for whatever “Flower Power Hour” was. Now this place was the real deal, ran out of someone’s home rather than a rented out venue or office, an open two-level townhouse with giant ceilings and a couple dozen vendors definitely gave more of an inviting feeling than the recording studio. The lights were turned off for the most part, but each vendor had a lamp overlooking their table, adding to the trippy atmosphere.

The High Definition Society table displayed their G3 Xtracts concentrate bar, and for $5 stickers, each coming with a dab of your choice, they were being ripped through like shots at happy hour.

I was then introduced to the Edi Bros., who specialize in THC-infused condiments. They offer them both infused and uninfused, for a donation of course. With a collection of over eight different sauces, they really pride themselves on their best-selling Buffahigh and Mumba-Que sauce. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Mumbo sauce, it is a famous DC delicacy found in many takeout restaurants, similar to that of a sweet barbecue I would say, but I’m no local.

A big bottle will yield you about 350 mg of THC, and the little guys have around 200. I tried some with chips as we talked about their journey to where they are today. The two founders are from Buffalo, New York and Washington DC. Requesting to stay anonymous, they credit marijuana for saving their lives and want to spread the good word of the benefits they have experienced, one admitting that weed had got him off anxiety medication and helped him with depression and ultimately losing 100 pounds.

Edibros

Everything about their patent-pending sauces is done in-house, nothing is shipped in. They say the key is a properly decarboxylated oven. They only started going to events about five months ago, but said their Instagram is growing daily.

“We are not high end, we are not niche, we aim to be renaissance men within the cannabis community,” they said.

Edi Bros. also has your typical infused baked goods, as well as candy that you can pick up for any sort of donation. They say that their oil gel pills have been increasingly popular with older people in the workforce that see smoking as an inconvenience.

I didn’t end up buying any sauce, I was more fascinated by the strawberry kiwi moon rocks and infused watermelon sour patch candies at the next table. I had about $30 left in my budget and needed to leave with some good old, normal, regular, weed.

I struck up a conversation with CMEkushkings, a Richmond native. As we got to talking, he said he lived in Short Pump and was working at CoStar making $60,000 a year. He moved up to DC just a couple months ago to take advantage of the green rush and said he is already projected to make more than that next year. He graciously gifted me a free eighth of Gelato in exchange for purchasing one of the stickers he had laid out on the table for my $30.

I had burned all of the cash in my pockets, and half of the cells in my brain, but I successfully completed my cannabis cruise with a full bag of goodies and a smile that would be involuntarily stuck on my face for the next hour or so. Now I would have had better pictures for you guys, but I sort of ate most of the product before coming back to work. But regardless, we learned that because this business is unregulated, you may now know exactly what you are getting, but not exactly how much you are getting in terms of dosage.

Pink Fox

We learned that there is definitely a number of legal loopholes these vendors are jumping through “under the radar” to survive, and we know that the recreational marijuana scene in Washington DC is on the rise, almost completely eliminating the need for a medical license, and pushing the frontiers of weed culture in the nation.

And if you want to know whether or not it was worth it all, let’s just say this article alone has taken me the longest out of any thus far, the inside of my mouth is drier than the Sahara, and I have become a part of the very couch I took refuge on after finishing what is left of my goodie bag of souvenirs.